Walter "Wally" Albert Schultz

Walter Albert Schultz, age 80 of Munising, died surrounded by loving family from his long battle with dementia at the Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette on May 27th 2026. ‘Wally’ was born on April 19th, 1946 in LaCrosse Wisconsin to Raymond and Genevieve (Perhai) Schultz.

Wally spent his childhood in Duluth MN, Wausau WI, and eventually Escanaba where he graduated from Escanaba High School in 1964. To say he was an athlete was an understatement, as Wally gathered All-conference and All-U.P honors in basketball, and U.P. track champion in 110yd hurdles and long jump. He held school records for many years in those events, and his senior year he was awarded the Escanaba HS ‘Herman Gessner’ trophy for best athlete and student.

After graduating, Wally spent one year at UW Superior before joining the Marines. He proudly served his country as a sergeant and Vietnam Veteran. His service brought him a sense of pride, and he was heavily involved in the American Legion as well as a member of VFW, Marine Corps League, and other veterans organizations for many years.

When he returned from Vietnam, he attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in teaching.

His teaching career began when he moved to Munising in 1974 and retired in 2002, 28 years of service to Munising Pubic Schools. Wally spent most of his career teaching 4th grade, where he was a very influential teacher to many young students.

Wally loved to coach! Coach Schultz was a very active coach for Munising sports throughout his entire teaching career, where he primarily coached football and track and field. He was an assistant coach on the 1980 championship football team, and also coached high school track and field hurdles, where he coached many renowned U.P. champion hurdlers during that time. But most of all, his love of coaching came from his 2 decades of coaching JV football with longtime friends Joe Hase and Wayne Dausey.

After retirement from teaching, Wally worked summers at Pictured Rocks Cruises as a deckhand. He said he loved to do it to be around people and to make ‘Florida money’ for retirement winters that was spent in Panama City beach, Florida.

Wally was a well-known person in the community and beyond with many acquaintances. You could always count on a good time with him, and he loved to entertain with his ‘train whistle’ calls that he made! Wally had a great sense of humor and was very popular…he knew people from all over! It didn’t matter where you were, it always seemed like you ran into someone that knew him. Wally also loved his grandkids, loved to golf, and was a lifelong member of the Moose Lodge. He will surely be missed!

Wally is survived by his wife of 37 years Karen (Cota) Schultz; sons Scott (Sherri) Schultz, Jesse Schultz, and George (Amber) Schultz; step-daughter Heidi (Christian) Verardi; brother Wes (Barb) Schultz; grandchildren Angel Danes, Hailey, Cienna, Cadence, and Camdyn Schultz, and Emmalyn Verardi; as well as numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces, etc.

He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Genevieve Schultz, sister Nancy (Wayne) Premeau, and stepson Sean Cornish.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at the Bowerman Funeral Home from 12:00 until 2:00 p.m. A memorial service will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home and interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery where military honors will be rendered.